I visited my home town of Seattle this month for my sister’s wedding. While there I helped my 81 year old father make a website. He is having so much fun learning! He is writing about the wedding and uploading pictures. How great to see all ages learn new technology in creative ways.
Tomorrow I will be presenting at a writing institute with the titile “Technology-Enhanced Writing Workshop.” When I became a writing trainer, almost ten years ago, I never dreamed how much technology would impact the writing process. It seems people are all at different levels in their use of technology, both for productivity and for creative expression and entertainment. Integrating technology into writing may be exciting, but does not necessarily make writing better. Good writing will always be about expressing what is personally meaningful and the significant through effective means.
Writing is changing. There is no need for a pen and ink. The dilemma of where to place the paper is gone. Embrace the opportunity to express and take the risk. A blog can be a personal diary. A wiki can be a combination of newsletter, bulletin board, and community anthology. Every advance in technology brings some type of sacrifice, some down-side. The information age brings a flood of too much information. The dam has broken and we are swirling in information, but I refuse to be afraid. Information is nothing to fear. Get your blog! Get your wiki! Just swim!